2026 Kansas Soybean Yield and Value Contest

See how your beans stack up! Soybean farmers in Kansas are encouraged to enter the Kansas Soybean Yield and Value Contests. These contests recognize outstanding Kansas soybean farmers and provide a snapshot of how growing conditions and practices across the state affect the harvest. The higher the participation, the better the picture.

“If you’re not involved, you’re not learning,” says John Pracht, Westphalia farmer. “In the yield and value contests, you can look and see what somebody else did and why their crops made as much as they did, based on their good decisions – it’s a learning tool.”

Entries must be postmarked or submitted electronically by November 16, 2026. Yield contest districts are determined by region (Figure 1), tillage method, and irrigation status, with a total of 18 districts under consideration. Only one entry per field will be accepted. An individual may enter multiple categories within the yield contest (conventional, no-till, dryland, or irrigated), but only one entry may be accepted per district. Individuals may submit one entry into the value contest.

Figure 1. Map of contest dryland districts.

Results are expected to be released in mid-December, followed by official recognition of the winners at the Kansas Soybean Celebration on January 29 in Salina.

Eligible fields must consist of at least five contiguous acres as verified by the Farm Service Agency, GPS printout, or manual measurement. A non-relative witness, either Kansas State Research and Extension personnel or a specified designee, must be present at harvest and should ensure that the combine grain hopper is empty prior to harvest. Official elevator-scale tickets with moisture percentage and foreign matter included must accompany entries to be considered.

The awards are as follows:

• In each category:
  • 1st Place - $300 and a farm sign
  • 2nd Place - $200 and a certificate
  • 3rd Place - $100 and a certificate
• The overall highest yields in the dryland and irrigated categories will each receive an additional $1,000. The producer with the highest yield that exceeds the record high yield (126.6) will receive an additional $1,000.

No-Till on the Plains may have additional awards for the no-till categories.

Individuals looking to submit a value contest entry should send a 20-ounce sample, which Ag Processing, Inc. evaluates to determine its value. Monetary awards are also given to the three highest-value entries.

The top yield contest winner for the state, the top value contest winner for the state, and one randomly drawn individual who entered both contests will win a sponsored trip for two to the Commodity Classic in New Orleans, LA, March 3-5, 2027. Airfare, accommodations, and registration will be covered.

A full guide of contest rules and regulations, and the digital entry form are available at kansassoybeans.org/contests. Questions may be directed to the Kansas Soybean office by phone at 877-KS-SOYBEAN (877-577-6923) or local Kansas State University Extension offices.

 

Sarah Ganske, Extension Weed Science Specialist
slancaster@ksu.edu

Jancey Hall, Kansas Soybean
hall@kansassoybeans.org